A central Michigan man accused of abandoning livestock to die has pleaded no contest in a plea deal with prosecutors.
The charges against Russell Bennett were changed to attempted animal abandonment and improper burial. He’ll be sentenced in a Mount Pleasant courtroom on Sept. 18.
Authorities said they found many dead animals last winter in Isabella County’s Rolland Township, including a mule, cows, 25 sheep and 20 chickens.
The Morning Sun, quoting court records, says the 50-year-old Bennett told police that he didn’t have time to bury the animals because he was a working student. (AP)